San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-18

| were no police in lS23-with being drunk
and dsorderly. Twenty other poor
wretches We're waiting their trial for
the same offense; one or two for graver
charges. My case came first, and had the
honor Of being reported in the papers.
| Here Is the extract cut out of The Morn
! ing Chronicle:
"A young man who gave his name as
Henry Luke, and said he was an actor by
| profession, was charged with being drunk
and disOrderly in the streets. The consta-
BILE found him at 10 o'clock lying on the
pavement of BuCklersbury too drunk even
to speak, and quite unable therefore TO
give any account Of himself A check,
signed by the well known firm Of Crackett
| & Charges, for $50 was found on his per-
son. The magistrate remarked that this
( was a suspicious circumstance, and de-
cided to remand the case till these gentle
men could be communicated with. One
of the partners appeared at II and de-
posed that the prisoners real name was
Luke LuCraft, that he had been an actor,
and that the check had been given him by
the firm acting for client who wished to
be anonymous, but whose motive was pure
benevolence.
1.-The magistrate, on hearing the facts Of
the case, addressed the prisoner with
suitable admonition. He babe him re-
member that such an abuse Of a good
mans charity, as he had been guilty Of,
was the worst form of ingratitude 1t
appeared that on the very day of receiving
O gift which was evidently intended to
advance him in life, or to find him the
means of procuring suitable employment,
the prisoner deliberately made himself so
hOpelessly drunk that he could neither
speak nor stand-where, it did not appear.
The magistrate could not but feel that his
| conduct showed the gravest want of moral
principle, and he strongly advised Mr..
| Crackett to cancel the check till further
orders. As, however, it was Il first otfense,
and in consideration Of the prisoners
youth, the fine inflicted would be small
one of ten shillings, with costs"
That was the newspaper account Of the
affair. On his way out Of court Mr..
CraCkett stopped me.
young man," he said, shaking his
head, this is very dreadful. l warned
| my benevolent client against this act Of
generosity. You are the fifth young man
whom he has assisted in this magnificent
manner. The former, all four, took to
drink and died in u disgraceful manner.
Take warning and stop while 1t is yet
time"
got away as fast as | could, and crept
back to my lodging after the necessary
miserable breakfast.
| am not ashamed to say that | sat
down and cried. The tears would crowd
into my eyes. 1t was too dreadful. Here
| was only "A years of age, with my life
before me, doomed through my own folly
to a miserable ending and disgraceful rep
utation. What good would come of hav-
| I1p1a, ithaca dreadful npn1i-
tions? Money, indeed What had be-
come of the G5S given me only two days
before? Gone. All gone but one single
sovereign which served to pay my fine.
Some one had robbed me. Perhaps the
constables. Perhaps a street thief. 1t
was gone. The sorry reward of my con-
sent to the unhOly bargain was clean
swept away, and only the consequences Of
the contract remained.
In the afternoon, as / fastened home
along the darEGning street, hoping to reach
my lodging before the daily gorge began, a
curious thing happened to me. On the
other side of til street, in dark corner,
standing upright and pointing to me with
finger of derisiOn, | saw BOule-de-neige,
the negro servant. | rushed at him, blind
with rage. When got to the spot found
nobody there. Was it trick of a dis
ordered brain? | had seen him, quite
plainly, grinning ut me with his wrinkled
features. As turned from the place
heard his familiar "Cluck- cluCk."
Twice more on the way this strange
phantom appeared to me; each time ac-
cOmpanied by the ''cluck" of his V,lce. 1t
was phantom with which | was to be-
come familiar indeed, before had finished
with Boule-de-neige and his master.
1t was clear that the demon to whom |
had sold myself was incapable of the
slightest consideration toward me. He
would eat and drink as much as he felt
disposed to do, careless of any conse-
quences that might befall me- 1t was
equally evident that he intended TO make
the most of his bargain, to eat enormously
every day and to drink himself drunk
every night. And Twas powerless. Mean
time it was becoming evident that the
consequences to me would be as serious as
if were myself guilty of these excuses
One drop of comfort alone remained: my
appetite would fail and my tormentol
would be punished where he would feel il
most lay down and waited till lunch
con time; no sense of repletion came ovel
ME; it was certain, therefore, that he was
already suffering vicarious punishment
so to speak, for yesterdays debauch.
The next day, however, l really die
meet my negro.
1t was about in the afternoon-th,
time when l was tolerably safe, becaus,
my owner, who took a plentiful luncheon
at l, did not begin his nightly orgy much
before z. / was lettering about Bucklers
bury, my favOrite place of resort, in the
hope Of meeting the old man, when my
arm was touched as / turned round. II
was the negro. ''Massa Lucraft," he
said, ''you come along O. me. Massa hin
berry glad to see you"
declare that although the moment be
fore had been piCturing such an encOun
ter, although had imagined myself will
my fingers at his throat, dragging him of
and forcing him to tell me who and what
he was, felt myself unable to speak.
"Come along o me, Massa Lucraft,
he said; this way-way you know berr!
well. Ho, no! Chuck"
He stopped before the door remem
bered, but had never been able to find
opened it with little key and led the wa!
to the Octagonal room.
There was no one in 1t, but the tabl
was already laid for dinner.
"Massa come bymeby. You wait
young gegleman."
Then he disappeared somehow.
AS before, could see no door. As be
fore, the first sensation which came owe
me was of giddiness, from which l re
covered Immediately. l walked roun
and round the room looking at the heav
furniture, the pictures, which were all Q
fruit and game, and the silver plate
Everything showed the presence Of grea
wealth, and, supposed though l kney
\